Giving Up
by BlackPuma137
Summary: "If she would just say what she freakin' felt, what he knew she felt, they wouldn't have to go through this goddamn routine and she wouldn't have to get so goddamn annoyed and he wouldn't have to be rejected...again." M for language.


**Giving Up**

"Looks like drugs don't help with cooperation," Rick joked. He and Kate were on a huge case, but their recent suspect had refused to give anything helpful in the manner of information.

Kate rolled her eyes. "That seriously doesn't help me any further, Castle." She turned her back on him...again.

"Oh, come on. I know the interrogation didn't work like you wanted to, but-"

"Castle, could you do me a favor and shut the hell up? I'm really not in the mood for this anymore, and I'm so sick of your ride-along. Tell me when it's going to end, will you?" Kate didn't bother to wait for his reply, but continued walking angrily back to her desk, letting him follow like a dejected puppy...again. She booted up her computer, and ignored him, leaving him to his own devices and an awkward silence...again.

He didn't even know why he tried anymore. He was so sick of getting brushed off; of coming so close, yet so far away. Her annoyance was painfully obvious, and lately, Lanie and everybody else was cooling off from him as well.

"So...fancy a coffee?"

Kate rolled her eyes again. "No, Castle."

"Bagel?"

"No, Castle."

"Theory?"

"Castle!"

"Song?"

"CASTLE!"

Eyes turned to them in amusement, and a few interns giggled behind their screens. Damn those interns. He would have to have a talk with the mayor about them.

Kate let out an irritated grunt, then an irritated half-scream as the computer gave up no results on the the name the suspect gave her. Because of course, the suspect had lied, despite being totally high on weed. Kate had pulled so many strings to be able to talk to him (it was otherwise illegal) because, quite frankly, there were no other leads and being high was quite like being drunk: easier to _get _info from those unwilling to _give _info. Just her luck to get a suspect that could still function on drugs.

"Really, Kate, if you need help-"

"RICK! If you don't shut the hell up and go home RIGHT NOW, I swear I'm going...I'm going...I'm going to...ARGH!" Kate threw up her hands and stomped toward to morgue, muttering to herself about "stupid, arrogant, snobby writers".

Rick sighed, and put his head in his hands. How much longer could _he_ stand to _take _this? All he wanted to do is help, make a harder job-

Okay, he had to admit, that last part was total bullshit. But underneath his facade and jokes...he knew she felt something for him. He knew it. He knew it like he knew the back of his hand, goddamn it, so why the hell couldn't she admit it?

Sure, he knew why she had that damn emotional wall. He knew her history. But really? She was calling him arrogant and whatnot, but she was arrogant enough to deny her own feelings?

And she was the one who was frustrated, when he, he, had made advances after advances, ignored those snide remarks and bites...

Ignored! What he ignored in just one day would've made a man run away in less than two hours. And what for? If she would just say what she freakin' felt, what he knew she felt, they wouldn't have to go through this goddamn routine and she wouldn't have to get so goddamn annoyed and he wouldn't have to be rejected...again. Again! He would never again use that word; books, speech, or otherwise.

Why does she even bother trying to hide it? She was jealous with his old flame, with Special Agent Shaw, when he was surrounded with the bimbos...

He didn't want to be overbearing or overprotective, just _caring_. Why didn't she understand that? Why can't she let her guard down for him? It's not like she didn't do it before, for just a few minutes. And hell, she'd seen him unguarded. She knew he wasn't going to take advantage of her or do anything nefarious. So _why_ the _hell _won't she just let go?

He got up angrily, grabbed a taxi, made his way home. He grabbed a beer from his fridge, said hi to Martha and Alex, shrugged off their questions about his day, and settled in his office chair. He leaned back in his chair and closed his eyes. He was definitely going to call the mayor-

He sighed.

He wasn't going to call the mayor. He was never going to call the mayor.

He couldn't tear himself away from her, and it just wouldn't do to call it all off. He didn't know what he would do if he didn't go to the station everyday, after all.

Eventually, he knew that she'd come through, meet him halfway.

It was just a matter of time.


End file.
